Sheet-controlling mechanism



A.* P. GUSTAFSON. SHEET CONTROLLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men AUG-24. I917.

1 $129,906, PatentedSept. 19, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. P. GUSTA FSON. SHEET CONTROLLING. MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG.24, 1917. 1,429,906.

PatentedSept. 19, 1922.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH 1. GUSTAFSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO M. SCHULZ CO.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHEET-CONTROLLING rrEoHA vIsM.

Application filed August 24, 1917. Serial No. 187,942.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADoLrH P. GU STAFSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Controlling Mechanism, of which the following is a full,

clear, concise, and exact description, refer- Another object is to arrange for the au-' tomatic adjustment of the music sheet, preferably as soon as the wind isput upon the instrument for operating purposes.

Another object is to automatically maintain the music sheet in proper trackingposition during the entire playing or operation of the device. f

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a music box for a player piano or like instrument provided with sheet controlling mechanism embodying my invention; c

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 4: is a vertical section taken on line 44 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of construction.

Referring to the drawings I show the usual type of music box having side members 1 and 2, a top member 3, back members 4: and 5, and the tracker 6 extending from side to side between the side members 1 and 2, and located between the upper and lower back members 1 and 5.

A take-up roll 7 is shown located below the tracker 6 and a music spool 8 above the same. The music is advanced from the spool 8 to the roll 7 by means of the rotation of the latter by suitable driving mechanism which will not be described here for mechanisms of this sort are well known inthe art and form no part of the present invention. j The mounting or supporting arrangement" hand movement.

heavier ends of said fingers.

for the music spool 8 is'of such character that said spool 8 may have a moderate amount of adjustment either to one side or the other in order to permit it to be ad justed for tracking purposes.

To such end the spindle 9 at the right hand end of said spool 8 is mounted for a moderate amount of longitudinal sliding movement, as for example by providing collars 10 and 11 on said spindle 9, which collars are so located that the collar 10 may strike the side plate 12 and the collar 11 the side plate 13 to stop or limit the movement" of said spindle, but a modera-te amount of motion is permitted before one or the other of said collars strikesits plate. spring 14 is secured at itslower end to the .plate 12 by means of a rivet or pin 15 and its upper end is arranged to act against the outer end of the spindle 9, tending normally to push said spindle 9 to the left. A screw 16 is mounted in the plate 12 and adapted to adjust the tension of the spring 14. At

theleft hand end of the spool 8 the spindle 17 is the usual spring controlled spindle which is arranged to be operated in order to insert and withdraw the music spool 8', said spindle 17 to such end being provided with a spring (not shown) tending to move it toward the right so as to engage and act against the music spool 8, and also having a collar18 tolimit its extent of said right In this way the music spool 8 may have a certain amount of bodily sliding movement either to right or left,

each of the spindles 9 and 17 being adapted to move in advance of the spool 8 or to follow the same according to the direction of movement of said spool.' I

Above the spool 8'is a rod 20 which extends from side to side of the music box and is provided with collars 21 and 22 by which it is prevented from having any appreciable longitudinal movement being mounted in the side frame pieces 1 and 2 so that it may rotate however. This 'rod 20 is provided with a pair of arms 23 and 24, at the ends of which are pivotally mounted fingers 25 and 26.; The latter are provided with pointed ends 25 and 26 adapted to en age aid fingers are so balanced on the arms 23 and 24 that the pointed ends or noses 25 and 26* tend to hang downwardly, being at the Thus if the rod 20 is turned so as to swing the arms 23 and 24: downwardly the noses 25 and 26' of the fingers 25 and 26 will first strike the music rolled upon the spool 8 and said fingers will then upon a further downward movement of said rod 20 slide outwardly toward the ends of said spool, assuming a more horizontal position, until they strike the flanges 8 of said spool. In view of the fact that the rod 20 is practically fixed against longitudinal movement and the spool 8 is mounted so as to permit such movement a downward swinging movement of the rod 20 in the manner just described will cause the fingers 25 and 26 to shii't'the spool 8 in one direction or the other until it is adjusted into position by the fingers 25 and 26. This position 0t adjustment will be reached when the fingers 25 and 26 act with equal force in opposite directions against the flanges S8 so that the two opposite.

and equal actions of said fingers will result in equalizing one another and holding said music spool 8 in a stationary position. This position is such as to cause proper trackage of the music sheet over the tracker 6.

As a preferred arrangement for automatically operating the rod 20 so as to cause adjustment of the spool 8, and. music sheet carried thereby, a pneumatic 28 is provided, being conveniently mounted upon the back of the upper back member l. This pneumatic 28. is connected by means. of a link 29 with an arm 30 mounted on the rod 20. The arm 30 has a loose connection or mounting on the rod 20, but the rod 20 is providedwith a pin 31 adapted to engage a slot or" recess 32 in the hub 230 of said arm 30, and a spring 33 is coiled upon the rod 20 and arranged to press said hub 3O toward the pin 31, whereby when said pin 3'1, and recess 32 are in engagement with one another. the movement of the arm 30 will cause a rotary movement on the part of the rod. 20. Thus when the pneumatic 28 is collapsed the link- 29 will act upon the arm 30 and cause or permit a rotary movement of the rod 20 in such a way as to swing the arms 23- and 24 on said rod in a downwardly direction. In a similar manner the expansion of the pneumatic 28 will cause the link 29 to draw upon the arm 30 and rotate the rod 20 in the opposite direction that is in such a way as to swing the arms 23 and 24: upwardly to move the fingers 25 and 26 away "from the music spool 8. The pneumatic 28 is preferably provided with a spring by which it tencs normally to remain in an expanded corn dition. The rod 20 is provided with a counterweight 36 tending to rotate said rod in a direction to lower the arms 23 and 24. This tendency is also assisted by the arms 23 and 24 and the fingers 25 and 26 which are mounted on the same side of the rod 20 as the counterweight 36.

Thus the weight 36 and arms 23 and 24 and fingers 25 and 26 all tend to turn the rod 20 in such a way as to permit the fingers 25 and 26 to descend to engage first the music on the spool 8 and then the flanges 8 of said spool. When the instrument is not in use and there is no wind pressure upon it, the pneumatic 28 will remain in an expanded condition as shown in Fig. 2, said pneumatic by reason of its usual spring and the additional spring 35 remaining in an expanded condition against the weight of the previously mentioned parts, whereby when the instrument is not in operation the rod 20 will be in such position that the fingers 25 and 26. will remain in the upper position shown in Fig. i, and well out of engagement with the music spool 8. hen, however, amusic spool. is put in the instrument ready for playing and. the wind inducing apparatus is operated as by means oi the foot pedals, a condition of reduced air pressure is induced within the pneumatic 28, thereby causing the collapse of said pneumatic and this collapsing movement causes the link 29 to act upon the arm 30 and thereby impart a rotary movement to the rod 20 and at the same time the weight of: the counterweight 26 and arms 23 and 2- and fingers 25 and 26, also tend, to rotate the rod 20 in the same direction. whereby the fingers and 26, are caused to: move downwardly to effect an engagement with the music spool 8 and the flanges thereof. This engagement causes an adjustment of said spool S longitudinally in one direction or the other so as to bring the music sheet into proper tracking position. In order to permit the pneumatic 28 to collapse to its full extent without breaking any of the parts. the loose spring controlled connection previously mentioned between the arm 30 and the rod 20 is provided, whereby the arm 30 atter the rod 20 has rotated to eti'ect the final adjustment of the spool 8. is permitted to swing or rotate upon the rod 20 without etfecting any further rotation of the same. And this may continueto any extent necessary to permit the required collapsing move-- ment on the part of the tmeumatic 26. Thus it will be seen that when the ii truuient is out of operative condition. :1 mu. roll may be put in or withdrawn as desired, and there will be no interference or hindrance on the part of the mechanism herein described. lVhen, however, the wind pressure is reduced so as to cause operation oi" the device the sheet controlling mechanism will automatically operate to engage the music spool and adjust it to. the proper position for tracking, and as long as the wind e sure is kept in this condition the spool will be continually and auton'iatically held in such tracking position: lVhen, however. the wind pressure is restored to normal in the pneumatic 28, said pneumatic automatically expands and. thereby withdraws the sheet controlling mechanism from out of engagement with the music spool. This will happen, for example, when the device is rewound if the wind inducing apparatus'is normally cutoff from the pneumatic 28 in accordance with the general plan of cutting oil the wind inducing apparatus from certain operative pneuinatics during i"eWinding. This condition of inactivity on the part of the tracking mechanism is also in existence when the instrument stands idle and out of operation.

In m Patent No. 1,313,226, issued Au- 109, filed May 26, 1917, for sheet controlling mechanism. Hence certain features of the structure herein disclosed are not claimed herein.

It will be understood that changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with means for supporting a music roll of means for engaging said roll to adjust it in position, said engageing means being mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said roll, and means for automatically moving said engagin means into engagement with the roll and holding the same in such engagement durino playing.

2. he combination with a music sheet and roll therefor, of means for engaging the roll and automatically adjusting the same, and means for holding said roll engaging means in adjusted position so as to hold the music sheet in tracking position during operation.

3. The combination of a music roll and means for mounting the same so as to permit longitudinal movement in either direction, means for engaging the flanges of said roll, and means for automatically actuating said flange engaging means so as to automatically adjust said roll for trackage.

4. The combination of a music roll and means for mounting the same so as to permit longitudinal movement in either direction, means for engaging the flanges of sai d roll. and means for automatically actuating said flange engaging means so as to automatically adjust said roll into tracking position and hold the same in such position during operation.

5. The combination of a music spool mounted for longitudinal movement in either direction, devices for engaging the flanges of sand spool and pneumatic mechanism for controlling said flange engaging devices so as to secure automatic trackage adjustment.

6. The combination of a musicspool mounted for longitudinal movement in either direction, devicesfor engaging the flanges of said spool and pneumatic mechanism for controlling said flange engaging devices, said pneumatic mechanism involving means for moving said flange engaging devices into engagement with said flanges by its power stroke.

7. The combination of a music spool mounted for longitudinal movement in either direction, devices for engaging the flanges of said spool and pneumatic mechanism for controlling said flange engaging devices,said pneumatic mechanism involving means for moving said flange engaging devices into and out of position of engagement with said flanges and also for causing said devices to act upon said flanges so as to adjust said spool into tracking position.

8. The combination of a music spool, means for supporting the same so as to permit longitudinal adjustment in either direction, a rod extending lengthwise of said spool and provided with projecting arms carrying pivoted fingers which latter are adapted to engage the flanges of the spool so as to permit longitudinal adjustment of the latter, and means for actuating said rod so as to secure automatic trackage adjustment.

9. The combination of a music spool, means for supporting the same so as to permit longitudinal adjustment in either direction, arod extending lengthwise of said spool and provided with projecting arms carrying pivoted fingers which latter are adapted to engage the flanges of the spool so as to permit longitudinal adjustment of the latter, and pneumatic mechanism for actuating said rod so as to secure automatic trackage adjustment.

10. The combination of a music spool, means for supporting the same so as to permit longitudinal adjustment in either direction, a rod extending lengthwise of said spool and provided with projecting arms carrying pivoted fingers which latter are adapted to engage the flanges of the spool so as to permit longitudinal adjustment of the latter, and pneumatic mechanism for actuating said rod, said pneumatic mechanism comprising a pneumatic having a sliding connection with said rod whereby the rod may be actuated by the pneumatic until the rod has reached its final position, and also whereby said pneumatic may further operate without causing a further movement on the part of said rod.

11. The combination with the tracker and music spool, of means for engaging the music spool, power means for actuating said engaging means and a connection between the power means and engaging means permitting lostmotion between the same.

12. The combination with the tracker and music spool of a rock shaft extending lengthwise of the music spool and provided with laterally projecting spool engaging arms a power pneumatic, and a connection between said power pneumatic and rock shaft, said connection including an arm loose on the rock shaft and a spring for actuating the rock shaft but permitting a certain amount of lost motion when said arms are in engagement with the music spool.

13. The combination with means for supporting a music roll of means for engaging said roll to adjust it in position, said engaging means being mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said roll, and means for automatically moving said engagin means into engagement with'the roll and holding the same in such engagement during playing, and for automatically moving said engaging means away from and out of engagement with the roll when playing ceases.

14. The combination with means for supportin a music roll, of means for engaging the rol to adjust it for t-rackage, said means being arranged for movement into and out of engagement with the roll, means for automatically moving said engaging means into engagement with the roll to adjust the latter and for holding said engaging means in engagement with the roll during playing.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30th day of July, A. 1)., 19,17.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON. \Vitnesses:

A. L. JoNEs, HAZEL A. J ONES. 

